Even as Boeing still tells anyone who will listen that it is confident the infamous 737 MAX plane will fly again this year, its biggest clients are giving up hope, and earlier today American Airlines abandoned expectations it would resume flights with the Boeing Co. 737 Max this year, pulling the troubled plane from the carrier's schedule beyond the end of 2019, at least through January 15, 2020.

American said it expects to phase in the Max slowly and will increase flights throughout January and into February. In July, the company forecast a $400 million drag on this year's pretax earnings from the Max's grounding; the final number will likely be far greater.